BORN THIS WAY

For a long time, watches were solely crafted in precious metals, namely gold and silver, as the gentility of their movements called for equally refined cases. When the Great Depression hit in 1929, watch manufacturers had to start sourcing for cheaper case substitutes, even reducing the dimensions at the time. Stainless steel was the most viable option, except that the tools needed to machine them were too weak to attain the desired shape and finish that were accomplished on gold and silver cases; steel alloys were much harder compared with precious metals by factors of up to 10.

An alloy, by definition, is a mixture of at least two different chemical elements, one of which is a metal. Creating a new alloy composition is not a scientific breakthrough. In fact, there are hundreds that are developed every year. In order for an idea to materialise, it requires the right bit of mix and match, where different types are carefully discerned before